


A Shrunken Skywalker

by BlizzardInAutumn



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: (Fine, (Luke's not sorry but I'll apologize for him anyway), (he's trying OK!), Age Regression/De-Aging, Angst, Author enjoys the suffering of the main character, Babysit your boss's kid, Crack, Dad Vader, Darth Vader Needs a Hug, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, He's helping Luke too, Humor, I blinked and Luke ended up crying a lot in this fic, Luke Skywalker Needs A Hug, Luke hates Vader, Luke probably hates me too, No beta we die like humans, Poor Piett too, Reluctant Bonding, Sorry!, TERRIBLE day), Whump, child luke, especially crazy scientists, extreme embarrassment, idk why, luke skywalker has a bad day, oh and everyone actually, screw them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 22:46:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28999995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlizzardInAutumn/pseuds/BlizzardInAutumn
Summary: Luke Skywalker had been dragged into many scenarios, but when a team of scientists suddenly show up, never had he ever expected them to screw up his life this badly.Basically a one-shot that I don't know how got continued. Okay, I lied.
Relationships: Firmus Piett & Darth Vader, Firmus Piett & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Padme Amidala (mentioned) - Relationship
Comments: 86
Kudos: 207





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you who have read A Sun In Darkness, I'm sure you know which one-shot I'm referring to. For those who haven't, it's on the third chapter.
> 
> Oh, and I took some inspiration from an orphaned ao3 work called Juvenile Experiment. Check it out, I swear it's a masterpiece. 
> 
> Okay, so here goes nothing I guess. Strap yourselves in because this is going to be a long ride.

This, Luke decided, was undoubtedly the most comfortable he had ever been in his life. It felt as if an enormous fluffy cloud was cradling his entire body, a huge contrast compared to the bunk beds provided by the Alliance. He was sure he would have remained in this peaceful slumber if it were not for the Force jolting him awake.

He was too tired to even noticed the sheer urgency woven in it, the type that drilled _something-is-definitely-off-so-get-your-ass-out-of-bed-now_ into his head as he slowly forced his eyelids open.

 _Happy now?_ He grumbled to the Force, having the impression of it dancing with amusement around him.

Light immediately poured in and a smooth, light grey surface filled his vision. It took him embarrassingly a full minute for him to realize that he was actually staring at the ceiling.

That was odd, he thought to himself. The ceiling of the Rebel barracks was white.

Then he turned over to his side, only to see tall blue bars blocking his view. Confusion rippled through him. Was he in some sort of cage? Then again, what kind of cage did not even have a roof?

That wasn’t all though. The insanely comfortable mattress that he was lying on was decorated by multiple cartoon-like shooting stars, each one seeming to glow warmly with their bright yellow color.

This was obviously _not_ the Rebel barracks he had called home and certainly _not_ his bed.

Where the kriff was he?

At that moment, he remembered it _all_.

The memories of the previous events came rushing back stronger than he currents of a river, each one seeming to drown him overwhelmingly.

_The lab was as crowded as always, constantly filled by a swarm of white-coated beings. Scientists, Luke realized as he struggled against the restraints that kept him pinned to the examination table._

_He remembered the feeling of a prick on his arm, not having any recollection of which one it had been. Darkness had taken over almost immediately, quicky followed by vague sensations of endless picking and prodding._

_Luke couldn’t determine how much time that had actually passed once he finally awoke. It wasn’t as if it would provide any difference whatsoever, as a second needle penetrated through the skin of another limb mere minutes later. He was pulled into unconsciousness once more, awoke, and was soon met with a third one._

_And the cycle repeated, over and over again until he was already betting on the loss of his sanity._

_It was perhaps by the seventh injection when he felt it – pain – sharp and overwhelming PAIN. It danced mercilessly throughout his weakened body like fire, the feeling of what seemed like all of his organs burning his insides causing a blood-curling scream to tear itself from his dry throat._

_The worst part was that this time, he was awake._

_Make it stop, he begged the Force. Please._

_But it didn’t. It only intensified as each unforgiving second passed._

_Why wasn’t he knocked out yet? Did they…purposely intend this?_

_PLEASE! he screamed aloud, barely even hearing his own hoarse voice over the pain. It hurt to look at his captors. Stars, even thinking felt like someone had twisted his arm repeatedly. But he shouted nonetheless, desperation dripping from every syllable._

_They didn’t answer just like they never did and fortunately, unconsciousness finally welcomed him. Luke couldn’t be any more grateful._

Luke flinched at the thoughts, feeling his skin turn ghastly pale. Those scientists... he clenched his fists. One minute he had been on a supply run, the next he was a guinea pig, and the following one he was _here._

But where exactly was _here?_

He decided that he had to stand up to answer that question. Perhaps he could get a better view of his surroundings that way. Without hesitating for even a second, he sat up, suddenly aware of the feeling of something padded on his lower body. Luke didn’t think much of it, more focused on learning more about his location.

He couldn’t stand up.

Luke blinked in surprise and tried again, only to land softly on the mattress once more. The odd thing was he didn’t sense any injury on his legs that could have prevented him from standing. There were no aches, no sprains, no fractures…nothing. He just couldn’t stand up.

Was it because of the mattress? Could it be responsible for rendering his movements? Luke sighed and chose to select another method instead.

Holding onto the bars, Luke propelled himself to his full height, rejoicing silently when he succeeded. Unfortunately, he still had to cling to the bars for support if he desired to remain standing.

Well, at least now he could actually _see_ what was around him.

He appeared to be in some sort of bedroom – a child’s bedroom to be more specific. The walls of the spacious chambers were painted a gentle sky blue, as if intending to create a calming aura. A transparent cabinet stood nearby, revealing an abundance of toys inside it. There was a furry white rug occupying the wooden floor in front of it, most likely a play area.

He also noticed a black couch, a wooden wardrobe and even a holo-net set. _Stars_ , whose child’s room was this?

His mood darkened as he remembered the existence of those scientists. Had they placed him here? Why torture him and then put him in a child’s room?

Something clicked in his mind and he stared at the strange cage he was in, wanting to slap himself for not realizing it sooner. It wasn’t a cage. It was a _crib._

A crib that somehow a twenty-three-year-old man could fit in.

But that didn’t even make the slightest drop of sense. He stayed thoughtful for a moment before concluding that it was most likely an altered crib, designed specifically to accommodate someone his size. Not that he had a large frame or anything, but _still…_

He felt a rush of anger. Was this all just to _humiliate_ him?

And then he looked down at his own attire, only for the levels of that same emotion to rapidly increase. His clothes were completely gone, replaced by a blue shirt and matching pants, miniature clouds on the two fabrics.

The final straw came when he remembered the unusual padded material he had felt earlier. He didn’t need to think twice, nor examine it to confirm his worst fears. Horror crashed into him full-force without warning, as he realized what in the motherfucking galaxy _it_ was.

Force…he gritted his teeth, his cheeks flushed red with both embarrassment and anger.

That’s it. Jedi way be _damned_ , he was going to kill _them!_

If Wedge and Hobbie ever saw him _now_ , Luke shuddered, he would never, _never_ ever hear the end of it. Although the image of a grown man dressed so childishly was capable of shaking Luke with laughter, it failed to do the same when he knew that grown man was _him._

Oh, it just _had_ to be him.

He needed to get out of here, fast. If these maniacs were crazy enough to dress him like _this_ , who knew _what else_ they could possibly do next?

It scared him to even think of it.

Without wasting anytime, he forced one leg over the railing, quickly followed by the other. His hands gripped the flat top surface like a lifeline, knowing that the last thing he needed now was to crack open his skull just because of a foolish mishap. One wrong move and he was damned.

He breathed a sigh of relief once his feet touched the cold floor, releasing his grip at once. However, it was short-lived, turning to dust the moment his bottom met the ground once his legs gave out under him.

Luke huffed. So, it wasn’t because of the mattress. Apparently, they had done _something_ to his legs, something to keep him immobilized enough to prevent his escape. It felt weird knowing that he could still move his legs, but not use them to support his body.

But he was Luke Skywalker, wasn’t he? He was the man whose miraculous escapades were well heard of throughout the galaxy and he could do this.

However before he could haul himself up, something already did it for him and thrusted him upwards.

A startled shriek nearly escaped him and Luke blinked in puzzlement, struggling against the invisible grasp that kept him suspended in mid-air. It felt like a cold rope, wrapped tightly around his mid-section to secure him in place.

What in _flaming hells_ was ha-

And then he saw it.

There was no mistaking that looming obsidian figure, or that skull-like mask, or that dreaded breathing noise that sounded like death bells to the average Imperial citizen.

Or even that intimidating stretched out arm and the bloodstained lenses which were staring directly at _him._

The room plunged before Luke’s eyes.

Darth Vader.

The Second in Command of the Galactic Empire, Emperor Palpatine’s attack dog, Ben’s murderer, the same being that tortured Leia, the _very one_ that froze Han in carbonite, the Sith Lord that had cut off Luke’s hand…

_And his father._

No. That man could be many things, but a father was _not_ one of them.

Luke felt all the color drain from his face, the previous furious red disappearing from sight. What was _he_ doing here? Where were those blasted scientists? Stars, this was so much worse, so undeniably the _worst._

He’d take going back to that cursed lab any day now.

“Wed me go!” he screeched at the top of his lungs, with every ounce of strength and fear in his body, as if hoping for those words to magically create some sort of barrier between them. Obviously it wouldn’t, but what else could he do in such a situation?

All of a sudden, he felt his heart stop, frozen in place by the icy temperature of his blood.

Who…said that? _Who_ was the one who had spoken?

He called on the Force, using it to survey the room, senses searching hopefully for an unseen occupant he hadn’t sensed before. Why hadn’t he sensed Vader before though?

_Nothing._

His stomach sank. There was nothing, _nothing_ , just a dark cold space, lit up by only his and Vader’s presence.

The gears behind his brain came to a sharp halt as an unbelievable thought crossed his mind.

Surely it hadn’t been _him_ , he wondered, feeling like he was starting to lose it. That was impossible. The last time he had checked, his usual voice was several octaves lower, and definitely not that of a squawking Porg.

But what else could explain how the speaker had said the _same_ words Luke wanted to say?

Force, had they done something to his vocal cords _too?_

Before he could continue on that theory, another issue dawned on him – he was floating _towards_ Vader!

“No!” he screamed, once again in that laughable accent. He couldn’t – it was too soon – he wasn’t ready to face–

But his silent pleas were of no use, he thought hopelessly as his body was now only an inch away from Vader’s. He could feel the heavy weight of the man’s gaze on him, studying and staring through his soul like a hawk. Kriff, his clothing. All he could think about was wanting to _run._

_There is no escape. Don’t make me destroy you._

Now he knew that the first sentence hadn’t been a threat, it was a _promise._

Eyes wide with horror, he could only watch as Vader reached out with both of his upper limbs, proceeding to drag Luke into his arms.

How dare -

Almost immediately, Luke fought back, sending at least twenty blows to the armoured chest plate Vader had attempted to press his against, not even paying any attention to the realization that his body now fit _perfectly_ in the Sith’s hold.

To his immense frustration, Vader didn’t even _flinch_. It was Luke who was constantly biting back pain radiating from both his fists.

“Pud me down!” he howled, twisting frantically in Vader’s arms, only to feel the man strengthen his already-durasteel-like grip on his body.

“At ease, child”, Vader rumbled in his dark baritone but Luke could hear the thick layers of amusement coating it. How he wished he had his lightsaber. “You are safe”.

“Wid you?” Luke huffed, wondering how delusional Vader actually was, perhaps even senile. “Nod a shance”.

“Considering _I_ was the one who _generously_ rescued you from those scientists”, Vader replied pointedly. “You are in a much safer environment than you were three standard days ago”.

_Wait. What?_

_Vader had saved him?_

“Bud why?” Luke said, gesturing at his clothing, the room, _everything_ , feeling his blazing fury return to its peak. “Dis?”

The silence that flooded the room seemed worthy enough to make his stomach churn.

“Luke?” Vader spoke finally and if Luke was not mistaken, there was an unexpected caution in the Sith’s tone. “What do you remember?”

“Oder dan dem giwing me hell?” Luke asked with barely hidden disdain, not like he even bothered to cover it up. “Nading”.

“Nothing”, Vader repeated, suddenly very quiet.

“Dey knocked me oud a wod”, Luke elaborated, winching at his now high-pitched voice. He took note that not only was it much higher in comparison to his real voice, but it was also extremely slurred. His t’s were almost nonexistent, replaced by d’s. The same could be said for most of his l’s, which were now merely w’s.

“I…see”, Vader said slowly, sounding distant. For some unknown reason, a vortex of dread swirled in Luke’s stomach as each second passed. Why did he suddenly have a very _bad_ feeling about this?

“I had assumed that you knew”, he heard Vader mutter, clearly more to himself than to Luke.

“Knew whad?” Luke snapped. He was already getting fed-up with the lack of answers.

Vader stiffened. “I think it is best you do not, son”.

If it weren’t for his easily increasing curiosity, he would have argued that he wasn’t Vader’s supposedly son. But now, all he did was shoot Vader a scowl.

“I dink id iz besh if I do”, Luke insisted, frustrated at how Vader was speaking to him. For Force’s sake, he wasn’t a piece of glass. Why couldn’t Vader just say it?

Vader remained silent for a long moment. Luke’s patience was becoming dangerously thin. “As you wish”, Vader said, hesitantly. Luke rolled his eyes and watched as Vader moved, making his way from where he had been standing for the last fifteen minutes to the wardrobe. Had it really been fifteen minutes? Luke didn’t know, it was just a guess.

A tall reflective part of glass was on one of the wardrobe’s doors and Luke briefly wondered why he hadn’t noticed it before – well, there were probably _many_ things that he hadn’t noticed before.

His eyes squinted.

It was a mirror.

At first, all he saw was the monstrous frame of Vader standing in front of it. As his eyes searched, they finally landed on himself, held possessively in Vader’s grasp, literally dwarfed completely by Vader’s towering figure.

He deeply regretted the moment his eyes trailed to his face.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke just knows the Force is kriffing with him.

_That can’t be me._

**Of course, because that obviously isn’t you.**

_Wait…it does actually look-_

**No, it doesn’t Skywalker!**

It wasn’t denial, but it was the actual fact that all this was _fucking impossible._

But the longer Luke stared at the complete stranger in front of him, the less it seemed like one. His mop of sandy blonde hair was still there, along with his usual pair of azure irises which did look much bigger than before, wide with wonder. There was an addition of extra fat on his face and hands. Everything else on the other hand, had just…shrunk.

How could something be so familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time?

**Well, when there’s a group of crazy lab-coated maniacs near you…**

_Okay fine, I get it. Shut up!_

Force, was it normal for his subconscious mind to go haywire when he was shocked? Luke didn’t know, guessing it was because he had never been shocked enough for that to happen…… before _this._

“Are you alright, young one?” Vader asked, saving him from the thoughts floating around in his head. Luke could have sworn that he detected a surprising amount of concern in that question.

“ 'M fine”, Luke forced out. It tasted like ash in his mouth. Suns, what did _‘fine’_ feel like to him again? He wasn’t fine for Force’s sake! “I jush…did nod expect dis”, he admitted honestly.

Vader’s breath hitched. “As did not I, young one”.

“I’m nod joining you”, Luke declared defiantly, tilting his head upwards to meet the ebony mask. “You can teh you pwans to fuck off”. Hold up, had he actually managed to say a t?

“And _you_ , shall not deny your destiny”, Vader hissed with a sudden sharpness that made Luke almost feel a glare burning his way from the Sith’s concealed face. He was abruptly hit by the mental image of Vader, wagging a gloved hand at him, the gesture reminding the blonde strongly of a furious parent about to reprimand their troublesome offspring. “Also, mind your language”, the man added, once again whisking him away from his risible thoughts.

“Or whad?” Luke challenged, his accent ruining it all but he did not care. “You’ll gwound me?”

“An excellent idea”, Vader said, sounding truly thoughtful. Luke felt sick to his stomach. “If that is what you wish-“

“Sure”, Luke interrupted, coldly cutting Vader off, much to the man’s evident outrage. “I’d wike to see you _fail_ as a fader again”.

It was until he felt the temperature drop when he realized what in the Twin Suns had he actually said. He swore that it was now silent enough for him to believe that he had gone deaf.

“Is _that_ what you think of me?” Vader eventually asked, his tone eerily quiet. An icy chill colder than the temperature of the room hung dangerously between them. Luke didn’t even receive a chance to answer when Vader spoke again, his grip around the blonde tensing, nearly shaking him. “Luke”, he must be imagining things if he thought he heard a desperate plea coloring his name. _“Answer me”._

“Yes”, The lack of hesitation from him must be the reason for the immediate despair rolling of the dark behemoth. Luke showed no sympathy. He didn’t care, didn’t even care to care for this tyrant. “Whad elsh did you expect-“

It was now his turn to be interrupted, but to his surprise, it was not by Vader.

Out of the blue, an unexpected warmth began to spread on his lower body, heating up his crotch and soon, his cheeks, which both felt like they burned the brightest shade of red in existence. He probably even invented a new one.

_Sithspit._

His jaw dropped in horror and he froze, gaping as he stared at the said area in apparent shock and disgust. He couldn’t believe it! Had he just… Fucking Force, how could he have–

“Luke?” he heard Vader say in worry but he was too frozen to speak. What was he supposed to do? Oh, forget about that – what in the treacherous sands was he supposed to _say?_

_Double Sithspit._

“Son, did you…?” Vader trailed off and a huge wave of understanding washed over to the shores of the other end of their bond. The heat that scorched Luke’s face immediately evolved into flames. And if he wasn’t mistaken, there was something similar to his reaction dripping off Vader’s freezing Force-Signature. If it weren’t for this cursed situation, Luke would have felt like he had just witnessed a moment in history.

Darth karking Vader was _embarrassed!_

But unfortunately, that cursed situation just _had_ to exist.

Oh, how Luke wanted to die on the spot.

“It’s nading”, he explained, trying to convince himself while squirming in Vader’s hold. When Vader didn’t release him, he sent elements of pleas through the Force, begging the man to just let him go for _once._

To his dismay, Vader did the exact opposite, which was to tighten his hold. “Son”, he said, using gentleness that simply did not compute with his reputation. Luke wanted to scream. “It is alright”.

“No, id iz nod!” Luke cried, continuing to struggle but to no avail. “Pud me _down!”_

“No, Luke”, Vader said as firmly as the way he held Luke in place. Perhaps even more.

“Wed me handle id”, Luke suggested. “So… Pud. Me. Down”.

His face collapsed at the instant rays of disbelief he sensed from Vader. “But you are too young”, Vader voiced out incredulously, much to Luke’s annoyance. Just because he looked like a child didn’t mean he was one!

“So?” Luke scoffed. “Did you forged dat I have the mind of a twenty-twee year owd?”

“But not the body and capabilities as one”, Vader argued and Luke had to admit that for once, Vader was actually right. He was the one fighting an already loosing battle.

“Bud you can’t expect me to stay wike dis!” he protested, baffled that Vader would even suggest it. Then, he stopped, horror descending upon his face as an idiotic idea terrorized his mind. It wasn’t even an idea, it felt more like a short horror film with the tendrils of dread that it glued to his heart.

Surely Vader wasn’t… no, he _wouldn’t…_

“N-No”, he hated the way his voice shook but he still said it anyway – he _needed_ to, just for the sake of not losing his mind with all the horrors he was now dealing with. “You’re nod –", he broke off and looked away, too embarrassed to even continue.

At least, Vader seemed to understand what he had been about to say. Luke let out a sigh of relief, briefly scolding himself for foolishly overthinking that far. There was no way in all nine Corellian Hells Vader was going to have to…resort to _that_ , right? Although his father was a murderous man, he couldn’t picture Vader ever doing _that_ voluntarily.

How wrong he was.

“I’m sorry Luke”. And with that, Vader moved once more. Luke was still processing what in the galaxy Vader had just said when a door came into view, located precisely beside the wardrobe. Once it opened to reveal a refresher was when all the barely clinging shades of red on Luke’s face vanished into thin air.

“NO!” he screamed shrilly, kicking more violently in Vader’s arms than ever before. He knew how childish it looked, but anything was worth it to just avoid _that_. But Vader didn't answer and just entered the small space. With lavish black tiles and white marble walls, there was no doubt how expensive it must have been to construct. Pity, he wouldn't have any fond memories of it.

The moment Vader neared a hovering abalone platform was when Luke’s terror kicked in full-force. “Don!” Luke yelled, feeling tears spill onto his cheeks, further elevating his suffering. "PWEASE!"

Again, Vader chose to ignore him and laid him down, using the Force to keep him still. Luke was directly taken back to the lab, the memories of the restraints keeping him on that karked examination table doing nothing to help his predicament.

_This can’t be happening._

“Fader”, he tried again uselessly. Vader’s silhouette was blurred by tears. _“Pwease”._

Vader then rummaged through some adjacent drawers before returning back to him, several dreaded items held in his arms. Luke seriously considered begging for mercy.

“I’ll join you! I’ll do _anyding!”_ his voice cracked. “Pwease…just don…”

“I’m sorry, son”.

_Force, just kill me now!_

He was too horrified to feel the series of movements that followed, too paralyzed to register the cold air hitting his private area, too shocked to realize the brutal odor that flooded the air, too mortified to _even allow_ himself to.

Luke doubted that he wanted to either. The only thing he wished the most was it all to be _over._

He kept his eyes shut the entire time, just to spare himself this living nightmare. He pretended for a while that he was asleep, praying that this whole torment was just some sort of twisted dream, one that he would eventually wake up from. But it wasn’t, and that made it ten times more worst.

After what felt like an eternity, Luke finally dared to crack open an eyelid.

The first thing that greeted him was the dark outline of Vader’s hands, sliding Luke’s legs into his pants with startling ease.

 _Sleep_ , he heard someone whisper and before he had the opportunity to ponder upon it, he was out like light.

* * *

When he awoke at last, he immediately knew that Vader was near, quickly recognizing the gentle rasps the demon breathed out. He sat up, peeking through the space between each of the bars of the crib to see the Sith Lord. The being in question was seated on the couch, his inky shape almost camouflaging with the piece of furniture. Luke was sure that if it weren’t for the respirator combined with Vader’s Force-presence, he would have never thought that his father was here.

“You are awake”, Vader stated, as though it was a method of greeting. He rose from the seat, marching over to where Luke was.

Then, Luke remembered _everything_. He wished he hadn’t, for his cheeks and ears began to ignite ruthlessly for what felt like at least the fifth time since he had first woken up here. And the worst part was he had a feeling that it wouldn’t be the last.

Holy fucking Suns, he could _never_ look at Vader the same way again!

“Go away”, Luke said through gritted teeth. He did everything in his power to further distance himself from Vader, until his back slammed against the other end of the crib. He winched. “Don you dare-“

“I assume you have not recovered from-“

“Don you ewen say id!” he squeaked. Not recovering from that was a _cruel understatement_ , he was traumatized.

A gust of static erupted from Vader, scrapping painfully against Luke’s eardrums. But before he knew it, the excruciating sound morphed into a sigh, a sigh Luke just knew he was going to hear for a very _long_ time. His eyebrows shot up towards his head. So, Vader could sigh? That was…unexpected.

“Very well”, Vader relented.

A lifetime’s worth of silence glided through the air, neither of them knowing what to even say.

Luke decided to break it. “How did you ewen find me?” Perhaps he could now use this moment to relish some of his remaining unanswered questions.

Vader let out another static-like sigh. “My master sent me to Yuriz–”, Vader broke off and seemed to consider whether to continue his speech. “- to tend to a research team”.

_The scientists._

Luke frowned. The definition of the word _‘tend’_ seemed to be drastically different here. His eyes narrowed in a calculating way. “Whad do you mean by _tend_ to?” he inquired icily with suspicion, despite knowing what the answer would be.

Vader was silent and then remedied. “The Emperor ordered their disposal”.

“I wonder _whad_ dey did to deserve your awiwal”, Luke drawled.

A third sigh blared out from the vocoder. “My master believed them to be creating technological advancements for the Rebellion”, Vader clenched his fists. “I did as he asked of me, and then I found you”.

“I could not believe my eyes”, Vader shook his head as he carried on. “At first, there was just an ordinary infant lying unconscious until the Force told me otherwise”.

Luke felt as if his galaxy had shattered right before his eyes, his mind only fixed on one statement.

_“You killed dem?!”_

Vader became rigid. “Yes, before I discovered that you were there”.

No, no, no.

“So, I’m _stuck_ wike dis?” had his voice just pitched another octave? Bricks of horror hurled their way to him and Luke had already lost count of how many times he had experienced that emotion.

“And currently, that remains to be the only sole issue”, Vader begrudgingly admitted, but Luke wasn’t having it.

“You diden hawe to kill dem!” Luke shrieked out, sounding more like a sob to his ears. Maybe it was, for tears began to stream down his face like a waterfall as he pointed an accusing finger at the Sith Lord. How was he going to change back? How…was he going to survive this?

And before he knew it, he was wailing pathetically at the top of his lungs. The image must have looked pitiful, a very young child breaking down in front of one of the most cold-blooded men in the galaxy.

“Son, compose yourself!” Vader boomed loudly but that quickly proved to be a fatal mistake, as his larynx began to scream like there was no tomorrow, leaving Luke wondering why, _why_ , WHY couldn’t he control himself? Why were his tear ducts producing a year’s worth of moisture harvest than they actually should?

Exasperated, Vader bent down, hefting him up by the armpits. Luke’s mouth was too busy broadcasting his anguish to protest. Through his tears, he was surprised when he felt Vader settle him on his – wait – his hip?

He was even more so when a hand touched his face, gloved fingers brushing away the salty droplets tenderly. It felt…soothing, oddly warm despite the fact that the material against his cheek was made of leather. And to top it all up, Vader was swaying, the eerie clouds of the artificial breaths surrounding them turned into a fog of comfort. Luke’s cries eventually faded, nothing more than a few sniffles and occasional whimpers.

What the –

The scene that was happening was so surreal, utterly bizarre to his eyes.

“What am I going to do with you?” Vader murmured, the triangle part of his mask nearly tickled by the ends of his hair. Honestly, Luke didn’t even know.

“I wan be ‘ormal”, Luke whimpered, causing Vader to pet his hair. He didn’t know why he didn’t – _no, couldn’t_ – bat the hand away.

“I know”. And then came. “Go back to sleep”.

“Bud I jush woke up!” he mumbled, despite the sudden heaviness making his eyes droop. Vader lowered him back into the crib.

“It is 0200 hundred in the morning, son”, Vader chided. A blanket was pulled up to his chin, the same infuriating star patterns as the mattress meeting his eye.

His lengthy string of protests died on his tongue, a simple Force suggestion murdering them all as he was put to sleep once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I definitely put Luke through hell here :(


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Too bad going to the doctor with dad isn't always that fun for Luke.

It was during the early hours of the morning and Tora Mui was sitting alone at her desk, the chill of the air-conditioned med bay nudging against the skin on her face and neck. Space was cold – that was a basic fact, and she briefly wondered which brainless fool had even decided to install the air-conditioner here at all.

That was without doubt, the only reason she despised the night-shifts on the Executor. But what was there to do? She had a family on Chandrila, two children to feed and a heavily pregnant wife. It was either this or face the streets combined with the wrath of a hormonal spouse.

And was it just her sleep-deprived brain or was the atmosphere ...shifting?

Tora nearly dropped the file she was holding, the imposing shadow of Lord Vader coming into view, puffs of freezing breaths coiling around him, turning the cup of caf beside her ice cold at once.

“Good – er – (she struggled to find the word, it was 0400 hundred in the morning after all) – morning, ‘milord”, she finished hastily, standing up from her desk at, along with the hairs behind her neck.

The Supreme Commander was silent and her anxiety broke down into nervous beads of sweat on her forehead, feeling as if the red-lensed gaze was staring right into her soul. Had he even heard her speak? She wasn’t sure, but didn’t dare to ask that aloud in case it would offend him. And in her mind, offending the second most powerful man in the galaxy meant that she had gladly signed her own death certificate.

“You are Medic Mui, am I correct?” he rumbled, ignoring her greeting, not that she even needed one in return.

“Yes sir”, she swallowed, raking her brain to figure out what could she have done to obtain the attention of the Emperor’s right hand. Her pulse quickened.

_Oh stars, was she going to die?!?!_

Once again, Vader was quiet, as though he was deep in thought. She struggled hard to control her rapid breathing, mentally begging every deity in existence to let her live, apologizing profusely for not believing in them in the first place. What if Vader was plotting her murder at this very moment? 

Yes, she was _definitely_ going to die.

“You graduated from Elixest Academy, did you not?” Vader questioned. “That is an impressive prestigious medical institution”, he added.

 _And the cause for an unfairly expensive study loan,_ her regrets chirped.

Then her brain caught up with Vader, sending ripples of startlement and horror into her core, realizing that fucking Lord Vader, _the Emperor’s right hand,_ had read her file. Was what she had done actually that severe? 

She then realized that Vader was still waiting for an answer.

“Yes ‘milord”, she croaked.

Where in all the moons of Chandrila was this going again?

"And you also worked on Yuriz for three standard years".

_What._

“Yes, I did”, she replied weakly. “But I resigned”.

No, she didn’t. She was fired, not that she would ever tell him that.

“I am curious as to _why?"_ Vader inquired. Her skin crawled as she remembered that place. “Was your salary unsatisfactory?”

“No”, she kept her face blank, concealing her disgust. “But the research done there was”.

That _was…partially_ true, she thought with a grimace. The concept of the experimentations was what brought her there in the first place, proof that age regression was actually possible. It indeed _was._ She shuddered, remembering the pure agony latched firmly onto every subject’s features, the way their bones and organs compressed against one another, the way their neurons shrank as each memory ceased to exist, the way one piece of the puzzle went missing followed by another…

The way she allowed five of them to escape.

“Why are you asking me this?” she whispered. 

“Because you are the only remaining being with connection to that facility”, Vader answered. She must have accidently showed her confusion because Vader tended to it by responding. “The rest”, the words were said with a growl, both bloodthirsty and enraged. She flinched on instinct. “have been _dealt_ with”.

Which meant that they were dead. 

And _that_ meant...

Her life flashed before her eyes in an instant.

“ ‘Milord?” she asked softly, her voice trembling just like the rest of her, a tremor of fear rattling it. She thought of Ryuna, her two boys, a third one who she would never get to see. Her heart pounded madly against her chest. “Am I going to be…. executed?”

Vader took a step closer.

She stifled a scream, her hands struggling to remain faithfully by her sides instead of reaching for her neck, adding this to her list of reasons why she would _never_ , ever work a nightshift again, only to be hit by the cold realization that told her she wouldn’t anyway, because she, was going to _die._

But the infamous invisible rope didn’t even touch her. Instead, Vader carried on speaking, this time slightly hushed. “No”, he told her darkly. She nearly fainted with relief.

“However, there _is_ something I do require you for…”

* * *

“Luke”

“Fie mow minuds Wedge”, he groaned.

“Luke”.

“Fie mow – “

_“Luke!”_

His eyes opened blearily, meeting the menacing shape of Vader’s mask. The petrifying eye sockets were staring intently at his face, a sight that nearly sent him screaming in full terror had he not managed to control himself.

Oh. _Right._

Yesterday had happened, hadn’t it?

Honestly, he had been hoping to die from embarrassment in his sleep.

“Whad do you wan?” he asked, blushing at how closely it resembled a whine.

Fortunately for him, Vader didn’t choose to comment upon it. “We are leaving”, he announced.

That fully woke him up. “Wheh?” he asked. Vader said nothing and just picked him up, ignoring his yelps of surprise when the Sith did so.

“You could hawe warned me”, Luke muttered. Vader only sighed.

His eyes widened the moment they entered the refresher, where Vader sat him down on the hovering platform, before swiftly whipping around to face the bath area. It wasn’t until he saw the tub fill itself up with water did he realize what was actually going to happen.

Oh, kriffing, _karking_ stars–

“You awe nod bathing me”, Luke said acidly.

“Unless there are other existing methods to ensure your hygiene”, Vader retorted, turning around to meet his gaze. “ _I am”._

“Hawe you forgodden abowd _me?”_ Luke demanded, flailing his arms in frustration, wanting to protest that he wasn't as helpless as Vader deemed him to be. “Dat _I_ can– “

“Son”, Vader cut in, sounding truly exasperated to the point Luke was sure that he would have pulled at his hair if it weren’t for the helmeted mask. “For _once,_ could you stop being this difficult?”

“So, _I'm_ de one being diwicult?”

“It does seem so, child”, Vader confessed. Luke’s glare intensified at the last word. He didn’t need Vader rubbing his predicament at his face.

“I am _nod_ a child”, he hissed, flashing Vader a glare that he probably picked up from Leia, praying it would deliver the terrifying effect she always did. "And I will nod be tweated as such".

“Your appearance and attitude beg to differ”, Vader drawled. Luke balled his fists, wanting nothing more than to dump the entire tub’s worth of water on the krething Sith Lord’s head. Why was Vader being so –

"I am _nod_ acting wike a child", he grounded out angrily. _"You're_ de one tweating me wike I am".

"Is that so?" Vader said, clearly not believing him the slightest. "Forgive me, but I was under the impression that reluctance to be bathed is _exactly_ what a child would show".

Luke didn't know what to answer to that.

“Since you continue insisting repeatedly that you are not a child”, Vader emitted, crossing his arms over his chest “I suggest you verify that statement”.

Luke raised an eyebrow. “And whad do I hawe to do?”

Vader pointed superiorly at the sink. Luke blinked in surprise, deciding to take a better glance. Was he expected to clean it or something? Was that all he had to do? As a result, he turned his neck to see –

Big mistake.

Strong arms scooped him up from where he was, ignorant to every sound of outrage and startlement he unleashed. Thrashing was of no use, as he had learned from the last two times this had occurred and before he knew it, he was stripped, in the bathtub, warm water relaxingly soaking his skin, face tinged an unspeakable hue of red and with his Sith Lord father watching to make sure that he didn't drown!

Well he did, but it was in mortification instead of water.

* * *

“You still hawen told me wheh we awe going”, he complained, fidgeting uncomfortably in Vader’s hold, only for Vader to softly tap his head in reprimand. They had just exited the infantile room and Luke couldn’t be any more grateful to finally get a change of scenery.

_And something to get him mind off what he had been forced to endure earlier._

Now, even the detention center seemed like a fantasy land to him.

“My personal med bay”, Vader answered smoothly, without even as much as moving his head. “We will be using a private route”.

Luke felt his eyebrows knit together into a frown. “Bud I’m nod sick”.

Well not _that_ sick, he wanted to add but held his tongue, too embarrassed to even continue. After he had been... _cleaned_ , Vader had instantly bombarded him with questions regarding his recent water intake. Luke asked why, only to regret it mere seconds later when Vader explained that Luke had been _dry_ the whole night.

Which translated to; His father had... _c-checked_ on him while he was aslee–

Luke quickly pushed those memories away, desperate to rid himself of the heat on his face. Suns, it was only his second day here and his face already felt burnt beyond repair. 

“You don hawe to take me dere, you know”, he begged his father. 

Vader inclined his head. “Do you not wish to return to your previous age?” he queried in surprise.

A heavy silence.

Was Vader actually saying what Luke _thought_ he was saying?

His heart found itself in his throat, hope beating in every pulse. “You’re hweping me?” he squealed – no, he had _exclaimed_ , he had _not_ … squealed.

“Dank you so much – "

Then, he stopped, mouth clicking shut as common sense chose to step in.

“It’z ‘cause I’m useless to you wike dis, right?” he whispered bitterly, his disappointment lacing his face. How foolish he had been, so _stupidly_ naïve to ever expect this emotionless machine to aide him without any motives of its own! Of course, Vader wouldn’t. To him, Luke was just a tool, a weapon, an opportunity for power, despite how much Vader attempted to convince him otherwise.

A much, _heavier_ silence.

But Luke didn’t need an answer, he had everything he needed to know.

He tried not cry while watching Vader stride through the desolate hallway, but still ended up dripping tears onto the obsidian shoulder plate. Damn his crying reflexes because in a blink of an eye, he was a sobbing mess in Vader’s arms, much to the Sith Lord’s immediate bewilderment.

“Son – “

“Jush keep walking”, he choked out.

“Little one – “

“Jush do id!” he shouted.

Vader complied, but not without patting a hand on his green-tunic-clad back, of the piece of clothing his father had…. ah, _wrestled_ him into. Luke hated how comforting the touch felt, how it seemed to burn through every single shield he created to avoid the probing mental finger jabbing into his mind.

It was too late, Vader saw _everything._

They didn't say anything to each other after that.

* * *

A few minutes later, Luke was scrunching up his nose at the strong smell that hit his nostrils, signaling that they had now arrived at the med bay. He slowly lifted his head from Vader’s chest, a rush of standard white walls entering his field of vision.

So all med bays looked the same, huh?

They didn’t have to wait long before a middle-aged woman came into view. Her auburn hair was pulled into a tight bun and a tray of medical equipment sat in her arms. Judging by the attire she wore, Luke concluded to himself that she must be none other than a medic.

"Is this the rebel – "

“Yes, this is indeed Skywalker”, Vader said, with a dip of his head and shifted his attention to him. “Luke, I would like for you to meet Medic Mui. She will be the one who will see to your condition".

Her stare intensified.

“Hi”, he greeted shyly, desperate to be rid of her gaze, the sharpness of it clearly capable of rivaling Vader's own. 

“Pleasure”, was all she said to him and gestured to a cot. “ ‘Milord, I must ask you to place him there”.

Vader pried him off quickly, setting him down on it. Luke was given only a second to get accustomed when Mui held a some sort of tool near his face, indicating him to open his mouth. He obeyed, allowing the cold object to be inserted. It poked around the insides of his mouth for about a minute before she took it out, a pensive look on her face.

“Based on the number of tooth eruptions you have, I estimate your age to be approximately sixteen to twenty-three standard months”, she informed him.

He didn't know whether he should be relieved or disappointed. Well, he was still decades away from his former age but at least he wasn't an infant right? Luke wasn’t sure. Was he considered an infant or a toddler?

“Bud shoulden I be able to walk?"

He chose to ignore the sea of worry bleeding from Vader after he voiced that question. 

Mui just shrugged and placed the tool back on the tray. “Perhaps your time has merely not arrived yet”, she explained idly. Luke couldn't help but fume and turn red at that. He wasn't a late bloomer!

As if sensing his irritation, she clarified. “Your adult self was capable of walking, was he not? Then, there is no doubt that you will eventually learn it. Unfortunately for you, it wasn't during this age”.

Luke was tempted to bury his head in his arms. He wanted to scream. 

“Is there anything that I _can_ do?” he asked himself mentally.

 _“Yes”,_ said an eloquent voice.

Luke jumped in shock.

“Are you alright, Commander?” Mui asked, but it barely made through both of Luke’s ear canals. His eyes darted around the room wildly, searching for what he assumed to be an intruder, an intruder that he didn't know why _he_ could only hear.

_“I would not advise that”._

_“Why?”_ he fired back in his head. _“Afraid I’ll expose you or something?”_

 _“No”,_ the voice replied. _“I fear of Mui adding mental instability to the many things she has to assist you with, little one”._

Luke stilled, his eyes immediately landing squarely on Vader, who was hovering with an aura of mechanical smugness beside the cot. Bloody moons and sands, how could he not have guessed. Had those scientists messed with his brain as well? He felt beyond stupid for failing to recognize that all too familiar mechanical baritone. _“Father?”_

 _“Yes”,_ Vader deadpanned.

 _“So it’s you?!”_ he exclaimed in disbelief and then remembered something. _“Is this like what you did on Bespin?”_

 _“I assume Kenobi contributed very little to your training if the basic ability of Force Telepathy is_ _foreign_ _to you”,_ Vader commented dryly. _"And your shielding is in dire need for improvement"._

Luke glowered. _“That’s only because you killed him!”_

A surge of anger travelled through their bond, a wave of fire that seemed dangerously capable of burning everything in its way to the point Luke flinched instantly. " _T_ _he old fool had nearly two decades!”_ Vader snarled, seething venomously even after he said that. _“Two decades and he failed to bestow you your_ _birthright!”_

“Commander!”

Luke snapped back to the med bay, greeted by the gaze of a confused and faintly worried Mui. “Sorry”, he responded sheepishly, earning a weary sigh from the other end of their bond, feeling like a student being called out by his teacher. "You were saying?"

Mui drew in a long breath. "As I was _about_ to say", she started sharply. Force, now she _was_ starting to look like his childhood teacher. "The procedure conducted on you by my former colleagues –"

 _"You didn't_ _tell me that she used to work with them"_ , he accused Vader. The man didn't reply. 

But still, he couldn't help but wonder one thing ;

How had Vader found someone _this_ quickly?

"– is not a relatively recognized practice”, she enunciated, pinching her nose thoughtfully. "I assume they injected you excessively?"

Luke nodded. "Dey kept me knocked me oud too much".

"No, they did much worse", Mui shook her head, causing Luke to blanch. The word _worse_ seemed to always be the way to describe the state of his life lately. "It wasn't just an anesthetic inside that syringe. The formula entirely responsible for your transformation was also included. Once it enters the bloodstream, the first thing it will do is encourage the rejuvenation of your cells, thus causing a younger appearance. How young you become depends solely on the dosage you were given. If I remember correctly, one injection equals to roughly three years of age regression".

His stomach dropped, a lump growing in his throat. No wonder he had been given a _krething seven –_

“And if _I_ remember correctly, I requested a _solution"_ , Vader said coldly, menacing displeasure evident despite the vocoder. The temperature crashed in a sinister way. “Not an explanation.”

Mui's eyes widened. "M-My apologies 'milord", she stammered fearfully, her face matching the color of the walls around them. "It will not occur again, I assure you".

 _"She was just trying to help!"_ Luke snapped. _"You didn’t have to act like such a slee–"_

 _"Silence",_ Vader chastised.

"Unfortunately, it is impossible for me to reverse your regression right immediately, Commander", she told Luke shakily, but still was staring at Vader from the corners of her eyes, resembling more like a prey keeping an eye out for its predator situation. "I am not implying that I cannot do it, but I must warn you it will take _weeks_ , presumably even _months_ until every trace of your transformation finally disappears".

Was it possible for his gut to sink even lower than it already did? Luke was forced to agree because it actually happened. 

_Months?_ He didn’t have months! He could barely even stand a day! Luke stared at his hands – scratch that; _his new temporary reality,_ his brain corrected in horror, just before he felt his lower lip wobble inconsiderately under his nose. There was salt burning in his eyes, a generous amount of liquid misery rolling down his face. Panic seized him. No, he would not cry – _never_ – in front of them.

But he did, despite all his efforts not to.

How far he had now fallen.

And how much more would he continue to?

_"Luke"._

It took him more than it should have for him to look up, only to see that Vader had strode closer to his side, a hand planted somewhat protectively on his shoulder. The gesture would have seemed comforting if it were not for how strongly it reminded him of his current predicament. He was barely two, definitely systems away from the Alliance and at the mercy of Darth karking Vader, off all people in the kriffing galaxy. 

He had never felt this powerless in his life.

 _"It will be alright, little one",_ Vader said softly, his voice a faint whisper brushing against his agitated mind, a caressing warm wind blowing through the desert. Luke just looked away, mouth snapping shut to conceal a strangled whimper, but nothing could prevent the goosebumps that blossomed all over his skin. 

The lump in his throat grew heavier.

_"It will be alright"._

Even a Non-Force Sensitive could hear the Force scream otherwise. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a doctor, and all the medical topics I shoved in here are just stuff I stole from the internet and made up from my biology textbook. I'm really sorry if I offended anyone with my ignorance. I didn't intend that.
> 
> Btw, thanks for the 100 kudos, guys.
> 
> If you have an extra minute or two, feel free to leave a comment to tell me your thoughts and what needs to be improved. :)


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vader just wants to help.

The journey back from the med bay contrasted visibly against the journey from it, Luke thought as they _walked_ – or Vader did, at least. His misery worsened. It was impossible to believe that just a mere hour ago, a beacon of hope had shone in his chest. But now? It was still there but much dimmer, muffled heavily by the cloak of news that had been hurled at his face.

_Months._

"You appear distressed".

Luke didn't dare to look at him, continuing to absently squeeze fistfuls of Vader's cape. The cloth was damp, wet and sticky with something that he guessed was either tears or snot, possibly even both.

He heard Vader sigh, a hand suddenly combing through his hair. "Even if you are, you cannot deny that this is _our_ second chance, my son", Vader murmured. "Use it well".

 _I don't want to,_ he nearly screamed.

The scream died on his tongue, a sudden wetness catching his attention. He finally looked away from the cape and stared at his...crotch.

Luke burst into tears. 

The flare of worry only seemed to make his mood sink lower. “Luke?” Vader demanded, hoisting him up higher in his hold in order to get a better look at him. “Are you –", then the Sith Lord stopped, seemingly frozen still with an unspoken _"oh"._

His tears turned bitter.

There was clearly supposed to be a pause but Vader slaughtered it before it began. "This is nothing to be ashamed of, little one", he said and Luke saw a black thumb brush away some stray tears from his face. “At this age, it is only natural to–“

“No, you don undewstand!” Luke howled instantly. The desire to bite that thumb off in anger came out of nowhere. “I’m nod…nod supposed to–"

_"Sleep"_

He didn't even get a chance to finish that sentence.

* * *

Unknown hours later, he awoke once again to the sound of a door swishing open, a soft hiss he was undoubtedly going to dread for life. On instinct, his hands latched themselves onto the bars, pushing him up, just in time to see Vader reach him.

Only this time, he wasn’t alone.

Luke’s eyes narrowed into slits, comprehending the newcomer with great suspicion. It was none other than a typical protocol droid, one that reminded him too painfully of 3P0 but painted a dull silver instead of gold. The droid stood obediently behind his father, its shiny body glinting faintly under the soft dim light he didn't understand why Vader left on while he slept.

And the more he stared, the quicker something clicked in his brain.

“A nanny?” he blurted out, taking in the unwelcome sight before him. Oh Force, just _why?_

Vader reached to ruffle his hair, but Luke was faster, ducking his head away in alarm, causing the hand to immediately retreat to Vader's side. Contrary to his expectations, there wasn't even the smallest hint of offence at Luke's reflexes. 

Instead, "You are an intelligent child”, Vader remarked.

Luke’s heart swelled warmly at the praise, a dizzying rush of electric giddiness running through him. Vader thought he was smart – his father was proud – father was impressed by him – _Daddy_ was proud –

_Shavit_

He stopped.

And as soon as he did, the fuzzy sensation faded away, along with the gentle warmth it had brought along with it. The beaming smile on his face quickly vanished to welcome a thick blanket of coldness, feeling it wrap itself around him exactly the way merciless realization did.

He couldn’t bring himself to care about how far his jaw had fallen from his mouth and he stood there gaping like a horrified fish.

What in all of the most freezing, cold-blooded hells, had just _happened?_

“Luke?" a black hand waved itself in front of his face, crystal clear worry that he refused to acknowledge fueling the movement. "Son, are you unwell?"

The current scenario appeared once more. He pulled his jaw back to its proper place and lifted an accusing finger to his father. "I don needa a nanny", Luke said stubbornly, feeling a frown slam his brows together at the fact Vader even believed so. 

"Luke”, the Sith began, cruelly pouring a gallon of authority into his robust voice. It grated on Luke's nerves like nothing else. “You _need_ to be cared for”.

“I can wook aftew myself, dank you”, Luke huffed. Just who had died and made this tormentor the galaxy's best childcare expert?

Maybe it was who had been _killed_ to allow this man to self appoint himself?

“Son, it is either this”, Vader said pointedly, maybe _threateningly_ was the better word. “Or _I_ tend to your needs”.

Luke stared at his father as if the man had suddenly sprouted an extra head or two and grown a pair of butterfly wings, perhaps even dyed his mask pink on the spot. 

“You wouldn’t”, he whispered, aghast, willing it to be true. No, Vader was joking… he _had_ to be…he _was_ joking right?

But he hadn’t been when he –

Vader cocked his masked head, a movement that instantly sent Luke’s dread and disgust launching itself to every part of his body. “Have I ever lied to you, little one?” he purred – oh, the audacity! Luke threw him a scowl, even if the obvious already hung smugly between them.

Vader had won, and he _knew_ it.

His stomach churned, unease clawing at his limbs. He hadn’t realized how tightly he had been clutching the bars until his knuckles turned white.

There wasn't much of a choice, and it was very likely there wouldn't ever be one. 

The foul-tasting word was forced out of his mouth, a poison being spat out. Some of that venom still lingered inside him.

“Fine”.

It was ironic how saying _‘fine’_ wouldn’t make anything _fine_ at all.

“Good”, Vader said in satisfaction and Luke had no doubt that the Dark Lord of the Sith was actually smirking behind the skeletal mask he cowardly hid behind. He almost stuck his tongue out, but decided against it as he realized how much more it would accentuate his childish features. They were already accentuated enough anyways. 

Then, his father stepped aside.

“Greetings, young sir”, the droid bowed its head slightly. Luke looked up to the ceiling in incurable despair. “I am ND-41, created and programmed specifically for childcare by Supreme Commander Lord Vader, at your services”.

Luke's mouth hung open without permission.

"Cweated?" he exclaimed shrilly. "By _you?"_

Now, _this_ was so much worse. Luke didn't know how much more he could take anymore.

Vader shifted, a tad bit too forcefully. "Yes",

"You bwuild dwoids?!"

"I built my first droid when I was nine years old", Vader replied, sounding... _boastful?_ "And ND-41 was built in only a day".

Luke was too scared to imagine what sort of satanic demon his father had conjured up at such a young age. 

Then his brain registered something. "You kwept me asweep fow a _day?!"_ he exclaimed.

"It was necessary", Vader insisted shortly, pointing a reprimanding finger at his face, _exactly_ like what had occurred in his risible thoughts. Oh, _Sithspit._ "Necessary enough to avoid the amount of _suffering_ you seem to frequently project to the Force", his father added with a shake of his head. "You are too dramatic, my son".

His face burned. “You awe one to ta – “

“Hence, that is why I assumed you would be more comfortable with a droid caring for you, rather than myself” _,_ Vader explained, earning an icy glare from him, although Luke had to admit that this was _slightly_ better than Vader handling his basic needs. Not that he would ever show his gratitude to a droid carved by the devil himself though.

"Fine", he muttered back. 

“And as for today, I have several matters to see to on the bridge”, Vader paused, as if allowing Luke a chance for the news to sink in. “However, you will remain here with ND-41”.

Luke sputtered. “N- _Now?!”_

But Vader had already turned around, heading to the door in strides wider than Beggar’s Canyon itself, as though _purposely_ intending to escape the desperate pleas Luke shoved through their bond. The armourweave cape fanned out dramatically behind the Sith Lord, and Luke wished with all his heart for it to 'somehow' get stuck once the door slid shut. 

And that was when the droid chose to remind him of its existence.

“I suggest we begin to get you ready for the day, young sir”. ND-41 chimed joyously, scooping him up into its robotic arms. Luke let out an annoyed sound.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Well, at least his instincts had been correct right? Luke felt a headache creep in as he sat on the couch, a typical children's show continuing to endlessly bore him to death. A stuffed shaak was at his side, an offending object that ND-41 insisted he keep beside him despite the fact that Luke desperately wanted it to get swallowed by a black hole. Now.

The boredom ravaging his mind right now appeared capable enough to rival the one he experienced during the Alliance meetings Leia would drag him to, days that felt like a lifetime ago but he still would do _anything_ to get back.

Although there was a chance to reverse his transformation, Luke doubted there would be one for him to return to the Rebellion. What would happen _after_ he aged up? He would be a naive bantha cub to assume that Vader would just let him go so easily. Wouldn’t Vader train him in the Dark Side? Overthrow Palpatine and rule the galaxy as father and son just as he had declared on Bespin?

Luke swallowed uncomfortably.

Or would _he_ be disposed of once he served his purpose?

The cycling of a respirator cut through his musings, and Luke looked up to see that his father had entered, the ghostly breaths surrounding him like how thunderclouds would do to a storm. Luke sighed. No wonder Vader always felt extremely cold.

“Welcome back ‘milord”, ND-41 greeted respectfully, rushing to the entrance faster than the speed of light. “We were not expecting you this early”.

But Vader wasn’t looking at the droid.

“Have you eaten?”

Luke blinked in surprise, his brain still trying to process something so…casual produced by Vader. “Yes”, he answered gloomily, remembering the meager fruit puree ND-41 fed him. Honestly, it hadn’t been that bad – it was sweet, better tasting than his daily option of limited ration bars and more than suitable for the current endurance of his digestive system but…

It was humiliating.

“I see”, Vader said in something that could be translated into approval, or perhaps Luke’s ears were going off the hook like he suspected they were. His father then turned to the droid. "Leave us", he rumbled. 

ND-41 obeyed, bowing so deeply to the point Luke wondered how much more its back could stand. “As you wish, sir”, it replied.

Luke watched warily as ND-41 began to retreat to a far corner, its robotic limbs instantly becoming limp after powering itself down. His mind quickly flickered again to C-3PO, eyes watering at the countless occasions when Han would furiously switch the protocol droid off in order to save his sanity. Never had Luke ever imagined that there would one day be a moment when he would literally start to miss that droid.

_Leia, Han, R2…_

His throat felt tight.

Luke barely felt Vader sit down nearby him, claiming the other end of the couch, the stuffed shaak acting as a futile barrier between them. All he managed to feel was the might of the suffocating gaze Vader placed him under. 

“Luke”, Vader called, immediately gaining his attention as he angled his face sideways to peer at him. The air felt weird, thick and heavy with something unusual – was that amusement? Luke delivered his father a confused look. What was so _funny?_

Vader’s hand reached out, a movement somehow so hesitant yet determined at the same time and Vader leaned slightly forwards. Luke heartlessly received his answer when the hand directed itself to his face, gently tugging something out of the captivity of his mouth.

Luke couldn't believe it.

It was his hand.

Which meant–

His eyes widened drastically at the realization.

No.

_No._

NO.

He had been sucking on his _kriffing_ thumb and he hadn’t even noticed it!

“You cannot be certain of how uncontaminated your fingers are, little one”, Vader admonished lightly – Karking stars, was that a chuckle? Couldn’t the floor just swallow him up whole for once, allowing him to fall to the endless void of space just to save him from this agony of embarrassment? He guessed not, he guessed never.

Luke pushed Vader’s hand away. “Kwiff off, Wader”, he snapped. Replace the Twin Suns with his face and Tatooine would still be scorched. 

“I apologize”, Vader replied, but not without mirth infusing his voice, clearly on the verge of mechanical laughter and Luke swore that he was actually a smile behind that mask, one that the Force told him wasn't sadistic but... _affectionate?_

His subconscious chirped in, as bewildered as he was. **Did you just call Darth Vader–**

 _I don't know!_ Luke wailed silently. 

He then noticed that Vader was still staring at him.

Kriff.

A chill travelled down his spine at the abundance of attention, the kind one would give to a creature in a zoo. The comparison did nothing to ease his discomfort. _“Whad_ awe you looking at?” Luke snarled in irritation. 

Vader was silent. Luke debated between asking once again and leaving him be until his father spoke.

"You have her nose", he said.

The tone was quiet, but undoubtedly intended to speak volumes to Luke. 

_Her..._

His eyes stung, and he blinked frantically to contain his tears."Can you–", he sucked in a shaky breath, shoulders quivering without control. The early stages of a sob appeared in his throat and all he could produce was a stutter "–t-tell me about her?”

Something that could only be described as daggers of anguish pierced through the Force, but Luke wasn't sure whether the emotion was from him or from Vader.

Regardless of it all, Vader still answered his question, or at least _attempted_ to. "She–“, Vader stopped himself and stared at the holo-net for a long while, hands clenching in a way he suspected was instinctive, and Luke thought he saw a flash of a woman through the Force, shades of white, brown and blue echoing around her, the colors dancing gracefully inside his mind even after she disappeared. He didn't need to ask, nor ponder further to know who it was.

"She would have loved you", was all Vader managed to say.

Somehow to Luke, that was _everything._

But not enough to stop his heart from clinging onto his throat. “Whad happened to her–“

"I am going to the detention center", Vader interrupted somewhat hastily, standing back up. Luke swore that he blinked once and Vader was already beside the door, a powered on ND-41 approaching the couch.

“Wait–“

"You can expect my return in approximately two standard hours".

And with that, he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some news.  
> They just announced that school is going to open in my country in a few weeks and I'm a little behind on online work. That means, I need to take some time off to get back on track.
> 
> So, we're going on a minor hiatus. I'm calling it MINOR because it's only a week, I swear. And no, this is NOT going to be another abandoned/orphaned/discontinued de-aged Luke fic like so many others because I ALREADY wrote the whole plot. Unfortunately, it takes some time for me to finish the chapters until they turn out exactly the way I want them and for a few days, unfinished schoolwork is going to be taking up that time. Sorry for the inconvenience. Don't worry, I promise there'll be an update on 6/3/21.
> 
> Edit : 6/3/21 as in 6th of March 2021. In my country we write it in this order ; date, month, year.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vader's a dad eagerly remedying, destroying, embarrassing, and glaring every damn hour in moodiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm a very late, sorry. Some lingering homework just couldn't seem to yeet itself out of my life and you can pretty much guess what happened. I probably should have wrote March 14th instead of March 6th.

Vader had left.

Vader was gone and it was clearer than the skies of Tatooine that it was because of him.

Or rather what he had said, Luke thought with an inner cringe as he continued to stare blankly at the closed door, as if hoping for his gaze to command it to open. His mouth was certainly capable of reopening old wounds so...

"Young sir", said an artificial voice, far too overly cheerful for his liking. Luke turned his head to see the dreaded form of ND-41 standing at his left. "It is time for your bath".

Luke nearly choked.

"Alweady?" he squeaked.

ND-41 ignored him and picked him up, settling his body into a cradle hold. Luke just sighed into the cold metal grip, relenting. Well, at least there weren't any interrogation droids such as Darth Vader to make his face warmer than it already was–

All the hairs on the back of his neck straightened up.

Something felt...

He tensed at the thought.

_...off?_

Luke swallowed down the icy ball of dread that had built up in his throat but it spread the uneasiness to every corner of his body instead. His heart pounded. There was no denying it. Something was wrong, so damning, _damningly_ wrong. 

_Warning._

He looked up at the droid nervously. "I–"

Too late.

Luke didn't even register the fall until pain began to throb on the back of his head, a wave of instant dizziness barreling into him and he was sure as hell that there were stars spinning near his face, lying there in both pain and shock. The droid...the droid had...

Luke was completely helpless to stop the bawl that soon escaped him.

_Suns, it hurt. It hurt it hurt it hurt._

"Young sir!" ND-41 scooped him up once more, bouncing him frantically on its shoulder in a way Luke almost believed it was a human's panicked reaction, maybe it actually was because the following words came with regret. "My deepest apologies–"

"Luke!"

He lifted his head to see a dark silhouette burst in, quickly making its way to where they were as if it were running. He tensed a second time. There was no doubt who it was, even if his tears blurred everything in front of him. 

"What is wrong with him?" Vader demanded, snatching Luke away from ND-41's grip before he even had the opportunity to expect it. His face was pulled to the Sith Lord's chest, nose smelling a combination of both leather and platisteel while a hand took its usual location at his hair. “Why is he–“

Luke suddenly let out a gasp of pain.

_Shavit._

He regretted his reaction immediately.

The temperature collapsed – this time twice more appalling than ever, almost glacial against his skin. Warmth barely existed, perhaps didn't at all. The cloudy rasps of his father’s respirator blew onto his hairline like a gust of cold wind and Luke had to shiver because stars it indeed was so, so _c-cold–_

Freezing. Chilling. Frigid. Icy. Frosty. _Deathly._

Not just cold. _Never_ just cold.

Hesitantly, he dared to lift his gaze up to glance at his father, who was still silent, hand still frozen in his hair...just after it brushed against the sore spot at the back of his head, undeniably the location of a future bruise.

"How did this happen?" Vader murmured icily, his voice barely even above a whisper but stil as threatening as always, reminding him too much of Leia that it scared him to the core. Shaking, Luke watched as Vader took a step closer to the silent droid. "Tell me, _how_ exactly did this happen?"

It was just a bruise, Luke reminded himself sternly. Not a _parental_ amputation or a vibroblade to his chest. Just a bruise that he couldn't understand _why_ the Hells did it hurt so _karking_ much.

ND-41 hung his head. "It was a regrettable accident 'milord", it replied slowly, not even looking up from the floor. "A result of my own carelessness".

As soon as the droid had finished speaking, Luke began to take notice of something else.

It was... _warmer._

He could scarcely believe his own senses himself.

The chilling atmosphere of the room had _vanished_ , replaced by a growing heat that could have given Hoth its own summer. Scratch that, its own Tatooine with how scorchingly it reminded him of home. Luke would have relaxed had he not realized what said heat actually was.

Anger.

Anger – so raw and uncontrollable – burning and searing hot like lava. And every single drop of it came from _one_ particular source. It could not have come from any other.

Luke swallowed.

The heat couldn't have given Hoth a summer, nor a Tatooine.

It could only give it a Mustafar.

 _“Father, don't”_ , Luke begged through their bond, realizing with horror what was about to occur in front of his very eyes. No, no, no, it wouldn't happen, not if he had any say in it. Bile churned at the depths of his throat. " _It's just a_ _-"_

Too late.

_Again._

There was a loud snap, the sound of a material being crushed screaming mercilessly into his ear canals. Luke couldn't help but cry harder as a thud soon followed. The blurry image of what seemed like a heap of scrap landed on the floor – the nail piercing the lid of a coffin.

And all he could do was _watch._

* * *

"Are you still in pain?" 

Luke didn't reply, his dried out eyes staring absently at the spotless sheets under him. They were in the med bay again, Luke perched on the cot with Vader sitting dangerously close beside him, an ice pack held to his head. How the cot managed to withstand their combined weight was something he didn't know.

And why was he _nearly_ in the Sith Lord's lap was something he wished he could forget in a heartbeat. 

Vader discharged a pointed sigh from the vocoder. “I require an answer, child”.

Apparently, that was more than enough to gain a reaction from him and he looked up, glaring the second his gaze fell on the noxious being. "You weally wan one?" Luke heard his own voice snap. There it was again – the anger, the frustration, the anguish, all three of them rolling off the tip of his tongue as he spat the words into his father’s face. “Fine, id _hurds_ – id _kwiffing hurds_ being welated to a monster!"

For a moment, the respirator actually _stopped_ , dark emotions swirling through the Force. “Son–“

“I don wan to be your son!” he choked, jerking his head away from the ice pack Vader was pressing to his head, desperate for even the smallest amount of distance between them. "Jush leave me awone!"

Then, Vader seemed to freeze.

_“Luke, you need to–“_

"Ged oudda my head!"

 _“For Force's_ sake, _listen to me–“_

"Shud up!"

Vader seemed to have finally lost his patience. _“Luke, if you do not cease this childish mood swing of yours, I–“_

"Will murdaw me too? How faderly of you, fa–"

A sudden whisper from the Force made his body freeze, mouth clamping shut as realization dragged it down. But... how could he not have sensed it sooner? No wonder Vader had resorted to using their link in the first place.

Because someone was now approaching them. 

Luke watched as the door to a small room to his right slid open, the uniform of a medic emerging through. “Lord Vader, Commander”, Mui said after she appeared, a datapad held in her hands. "The results of the scan have arrived".

 _"You are fortunate that these walls are sound-proof, little one",_ Vader rebuked in evident disapproval. Luke felt his skin immediately turn beet red. " _That was very foolish"._

Foolish to what? Accidentally reveal that Vader and him were father and son–

Then it sank in.

Was his father... _ashamed_ of him?

_No but-_

Hot tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. Stars, why was he becoming this emotional? It wasn't as if he had been eager to accept their shared blood just a few minutes ago!

His stomach churned with dread.

But what if Vader really was?

What if–

"Would you like to know your results now, Commander?" Mui suddenly asked, ending his train of thought. Luke blinked in surprise, but was grateful when the movement itself held back his tears. 

The helmeted mask tilted upwards sharply. “And what of them?” Vader demanded, a hand Luke couldn't remember landing on his shoulder becoming somewhat heavier. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Possessiveness? Protectiveness? Worry? But then again, wasn’t Vader reluctant to admit to having a son? “Is the damage severe?”

“Far from it, ‘milord”, Mui replied. “Fortunately, the fall caused no significant impact to Skywalker’s cranial bone, only resulting in him developing some minor swelling on his scalp which will eventually fade in time. It is very likely that the fall was not from a point considerably high".

Not considerably high? What the kriff _?_

 _“But I fell while being carried!”_ Luke protested through the bond. He found himself regretting it immediately when the grip on his small shoulder tightened. Force forbid another injury. _“T-That’s quite high isn't i_ –“

 _“It does appear as such “,_ Vader interjected in agreement, causing Luke to breathe out a sigh of relief. So it wasn’t just his overthinking self, then. _“Your injuries should have been_ _graver than just a mere bruise if that were the case, little one but unless..."_

_“Unless what?”_

The other end was quiet for a long time but the voice that soon came was even more so. _“Unless…you used the Force to slow your fall. Likely without you even realizing it."_

That sounded about right, even if he was reluctant to admit _anything_ coming from Vader was right at all. _“But it still hurt –“_

 _“You have a lower pain tolerance considering your current age",_ Vader reminded him. _"It is no surprise you were impacted differently than how your older self would have been"._

Fragility was then added to his mental list of problems. 

“And there is also another matter I need to speak to you of", Mui said, gaining back his attention. He saw Vader look up once again from the corner of his eye. “Involving the reversal of your regression”.

That perfectly captured his interest.

"Whad iz id?" Luke asked.

"A blood test", she responded bluntly, placing the datapad she had been holding on a nearby chair after collecting a medical tray that had been sitting on the seat. "I had initially planned to request your presence for this procedure some time later than today, but since you are _already_ here", Mui shook her head. "I decided to do it much earlier".

His lips moved without him commanding them to. "A bwod test?" he repeated, resembling more an embarrassing yelp. His skin would have paled if it were not for the shade of red that quickly flooded it. "As in... _now?"_

"Yes, Commander", Mui sighed heavily. His cheeks burned at the exasperation it carried. "Is the current moment a poor choice?"

"No, nod at all", he said hastily, trying to think of a suitable explanation. An _acceptable_ one. "I was jush surpwised".

She looked far from convinced, but didn't voice her doubt out loud. "Then, I shall begin".

"Sure", he croaked out weakly, grimacing. He _wasn't_ exactly afraid of needles, he was just...

Fine, he was.

Kriff.

 _“I never took you for someone who fears something as trivial as a blood test, little one”,_ Vader suddenly remarked into his mind. Luke almost jumped out of the cot in startlement. Stars, how could he have forgotten that the man was still here?

The heat on his cheeks spread to his ears. _“I don’t know what you are talking about”,_ he snapped back. Talk about an invasion of privacy! _“Stop reading my mind"._

 _"You are only eligible to ask for s_ _uch a privilege once you have developed proper shields”,_ Vader said pointedly and Luke could sense a lecture regarding that coming in the near future. _“But for the time being, your version of fear is highly obtrusive, especially during the usage of such weak techniques”._

100% ashamed, then.

Luke could already tell that his eyes were going to be very wet, _very_ soon. _"Was the entire point of this conversation just to criticize my techniques?"_

 _“No, merely to correct it”,_ A sigh travelled across their bond, a mixture of numerous emotions Luke couldn’t name gliding along with it. _“You_ _remind me too much of myself as a youngling”._

Maybe hitting his head had truly damaged him, if this was what his brain was comprehending from Vader. _“What?”_ He was at a loss for words. Imagining Vader as a youngling was equal to imagining Jabba the Hutt as one. In other words, kriffing impossible. 

Vader paused for a brief moment, whether it was for Luke to take in the words or for Vader to gather them was what he wondered. _"I was not always like this...I once had a family",_ Another pause. _"_ _A mother"._

 _"Shmi",_ Luke whispered, without even a second thought. " _She_ _was_ _your_ - _"_

There was a suspicious jolt that rocked Vader's end after he said that name. _“You know of her?”_

Luke swallowed. _"Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru told me a lot about her"._ Her recipes, her hidden gravestone outside the farm, her _fate_ which Uncle Owen would often speak about to ensure he wouldn't dare to go collecting mushrooms alone... _"They said she was kind",_ he added and kindnesswas a trait Vader had certainly not inherited. 

_"She indeed was",_ Vader murmured. 

"That will be all Commander".

The next thing he knew, he once again in the med bay, blinking in surprise as he was abruptly dragged back to reality. Mui was standing in front of him, fixing him an expressionless stare and he squirmed. Moons, just how _long_ had it been? 

But then he noticed an object held in Mui's hand. It was a syringe, already filled with crimson liquid. _Blood,_ blood that he hadn’t even felt being withdrawn–

_Wait..._

– Of course he _hadn’t._

His eyes wandered back to Vader, narrowing accusingly as his stunned mouth only managed to utter. "You–“

_"You are most welcome, son"._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, again, I'm NOT a doctor. I did a bit of research and screwed with it as usual. So, not everything med-related is 100% accurate. :)
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone for being so patient with me and all of my bantha shit. (virtual hugs) 
> 
> And since school just popped out of nowhere, sadly, I can't really promise that I can update every Saturday as usual. I'm not discontinuing this fic, I'm just warning you that updates from now on will be a bit slower. Perhaps not as close to each other as I would have liked them to be. Sorry guys.
> 
> Drop a comment if you want. They motivate me to write more. :D

**Author's Note:**

> Scream your thoughts in the comments if you want to. See you next Saturday y'all.


End file.
